Separate required from preferred
Hard requirements control whether the row should move forward. Preferences help you decide how to position your examples.
Requirements
Job requirements checklist from published company guides
Use this page when a posting lists duties, schedule coverage, physical tasks, eligibility notes, application tasks, or first-week expectations that affect whether the role is worth applying for. It turns requirement signals from the current HireTea published guide set into a practical checklist.
74 indexed hubs compared
1 requirement groups
9 job categories
Quick answer
What job requirements should you check before applying?
Check the exact duties, department, schedule coverage, physical tasks, minimum eligibility wording, application tasks, training clues, and first-week setup before you apply. A good application decision is based on the active posting and employer messages, not only the company name or a broad role title.
Check the work area
Department, property, station, team, or site details often explain what the requirement actually means day to day.
Save the current wording
Requirements can change when a posting expires, so keep the exact text, job ID, URL, and date viewed.
Guide set
Requirement signals in the current indexed set
These groups show which requirement decisions repeat across published company guides. They are planning signals, not guarantees about a specific opening. The active posting, recruiter message, manager reply, and first-week instruction should control the final decision.
| Requirement group | Indexed hubs | Example companies | Common signals to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical task requirement | 74 | Walmart, Amazon, McDonald's, The Home Depot, and FedEx | confirm age and eligibility in the current posting, general: 18, application task depends on role, evenings, weekends, and holidays, and role-specific assessment |
Definitions
Requirement group definitions
Use these definitions to decide what kind of evidence you need next. A requirement is useful only when it tells you what to do before applying, interviewing, accepting, or arriving for the first week.
Physical task requirement
The role has repeated standing, lifting, movement, pace, tool, safety, or environment expectations that should match the applicant's realistic day-to-day capacity.
Compare the posting duties with training notes, first-week expectations, and any role-specific physical wording before applying.
Schedule coverage requirement
The role depends on specific days, shift windows, weekends, holidays, peak periods, or training hours that may not match the headline schedule.
Write down the required coverage, your nonnegotiable conflicts, and the exact question you need answered.
Age and eligibility requirement
Some roles have age, permit, credential, equipment, department, or local eligibility language that can change by role and location.
Use the active posting as the source of truth and save the exact wording that controls the application decision.
Application task requirement
The applicant may need to complete an account step, assessment, appointment, confirmation, or portal task before the employer can move the row forward.
Save the platform, account email, task label, deadline, and confirmation message with the application row.
Department scope requirement
A broad title may hide a specific department, property, station, customer type, tool set, or reporting path.
Clarify the department or work area before writing answers, comparing offers, or accepting a start date.
First-week readiness requirement
The role looks viable, but the first-week setup still controls what the applicant must bring, learn, wear, access, or confirm.
Connect the requirement note to training, documents, start date, and the person who owns local handoff.
Category patterns
Requirement patterns by job category
Category patterns help you predict which requirement deserves the next check. A retail role may hinge on department coverage and standing. A warehouse role may hinge on pace and shift timing. A professional role may hinge on team scope, tools, and manager expectations.
| Category | Common groups | Physical or task signals | Coverage signals | Department signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail | Physical task requirement | lift: 25-50 lbs depending on department, stand: full shift, and food safety: relevant for fresh departments, lift: 25-50 lbs depending on role, stand: full shift, and accuracy: high for pharmacy-adjacent work, and lift: 25-50 lbs depending on role, stand: full shift, and ladder: relevant for some departments | evenings, weekends, and holidays, weekends, closing shifts, and seasonal periods, and weekends, evenings, and holidays | Front End, Grocery, Deli, and Bakery, Beauty, Store Support and POS, Nordstrom Rack sales, and Stock and Fulfillment, and Cashier, Grocery, Deli, and Bakery |
| Restaurant | Physical task requirement | lift: varies by role, stand: full shift, and food safety: required, crew: Current Crew postings require standing and moving for most of the shift, using restaurant equipment such as headset, register, or grill, following brand standards, serving customers, and keeping the restaurant clean. and management: Current AGM and GM postings add leadership, food-safety, reliable transportation for some roles, flexible availability, restaurant operations, and P&L or process accountability., and lift: 25 lbs, stand: 6-8 hours, and precision tasks: espresso calibration,drink build accuracy | 5am opens, weekends, and late closes, breakfast, lunch rush, and weekends, and early mornings, weekends, and rush periods | Drive-Thru, Front Counter, Food Prep, and Line, front counter, drive thru, beverage station, and food prep, and front counter, drive thru, kitchen, and dining room |
| Grocery | Physical task requirement | lift: grocery stocking, stand: full shift, and pace: high-energy store rotation and lift: official store associate pages mention up to 45 lb, stand: standing and moving through store, and role requirements: official store associate pages mention up to 45 lb,standing and moving through store,cooler/freezer possible | evenings, weekends, and holidays and reliable attendance, flexible store shifts, mornings for stocker roles, and nights and weekends for cashier roles | cashiering, bagging, stocking, and signage and store, warehouse, district manager, and divisional office |
| Warehouse | Physical task requirement | lift: 50 lbs or more depending on role, stand: full shift, and pace: repetitive lifting and sorting, lift: 70 lbs in some package roles, stand: full shift, and pace: repetitive package movement, and lift: up to 49 lbs in many warehouse roles, stand: full shift, and pace: repetitive movement and scan accuracy | early morning sort, overnight sort, and weekends, overnight shifts, weekends, and peak season, and preload early morning, twilight sort, and peak season | Fulfillment Center, Sort Center, Delivery Station, and Locker+, Package Handler, Material Handler, Driver/Courier, and Facility Operations, and Preload, Sort, Loading, and Unloading |
| Hospitality | Physical task requirement | flight attendant: Flight Attendant requirements are separate from airport operations and include training, base assignment, reserve/line scheduling, and cabin safety/service expectations., customer service agent: CSA role pages support ticket-counter, gate, baggage-service, skycap work, age 18, background clearances, uniforms, professional appearance, shifts/overtime, and lifting up to 70 pounds., and ramp agent: Ramp role pages support outdoor aircraft servicing, SIDA/local airport clearance, valid driver's license, frequent 40-50 lb lifts and routine movement of 70 lb or more., lift: 10-25 lbs depending on property role, stand: extended time, and professionalism: appearance and communication standards, and lift: aircraft and emergency equipment requirements, stand: long duty periods, and pace: irregular operations and safety procedures | meal periods, weekends depending on account, and event shifts, reserve schedule, weekends, holidays, irregular hours, and station shifts, and weekdays, weekends, holidays, and reserve schedule | airport customer service, ramp, reservations, and cargo, attractions, food and beverage, merchandise, and guest services, and Attractions, Parking, Park Greeter, and Quick Service Food & Beverage |
| Tech | Physical task requirement | lift: not applicable, stand: not applicable, and technical screen: required, lift: not relevant, stand: not relevant, and pace: enterprise software delivery, and lift: not relevant, stand: not relevant, and pace: fast technical execution | collaboration across time zones and interview availability, customer meetings, interview availability, and territory hours, and interview availability and collaboration across teams | AI, Research, Hardware, and Systems Software, Azure, Windows, Security, and AI, and Manufacturing and Production, Vehicle Service, Service Technician, and Vehicle Operations |
| Consulting | Physical task requirement | lift: not relevant, stand: not relevant, and pace: client deadlines and busy season and lift: not relevant, stand: not relevant, and pace: client deadlines | campus deadlines, busy season, and client travel, campus recruiting deadlines and travel or client availability, and campus recruiting windows, busy season, and client travel | Assurance, Tax, Consulting, and Strategy and Transactions, Audit and Assurance, Consulting, Tax, and Risk and Financial Advisory, and Audit and Assurance, Tax, Advisory, and Consulting Services |
| Finance | Physical task requirement | lift: not relevant, stand: financial center day, and pace: client traffic and appointment flow and lift: not relevant, stand: not relevant, and pace: deadline-driven analytical work | campus recruiting deadlines, interview scheduling, and internship timing and weekends or extended hours as needed and branch schedule | Asset & Wealth Management, Commercial & Investment Banking, Consumer & Community Banking, and Corporate Functions and consumer banking, financial center, lending referrals, and small business |
| CPG | Physical task requirement | pbna merchandiser: Current PBNA merchandiser and large-format sales postings can require multi-store work, 20-45 lb case handling, repeated bending/reaching/squatting/standing/walking/pushing/pulling, personal transportation, valid U.S. driver's license, and proof of insurance., pbna warehouse: Current PBNA warehouse postings can require high-volume case handling, pallet building, electronic order systems, equipment such as forklifts or pallet jacks, variable workload-based shift duration, and warehouse conditions., and caveat: These are PBNA frontline examples, not PepsiCo-wide requirements. | early starts, weekends, route schedule, and workload-based shifts | PBNA, Frontline, Supply Chain, and Marketing and Sales |
Company examples
Company requirement examples to compare
Use these examples to spot the requirement you should verify next. The company hub gives context, but the employer's current posting decides the exact duties, work area, eligibility language, and first-week setup.
| Company | Entry role signal | Requirement group | Requirement evidence to save | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walmart | Team Associate | Physical task requirement | Front End, Stocking, Digital Pickup and Delivery, and Food and Grocery, lift: role-specific; store stocking postings can require heavy lifting over 50 lbs, stand: full shift, and stocking: common, weekends, early stock, and evening close, and general: 16 and forklift: 18, tire lube: 18, and alcohol handling: 21 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| Amazon | Associate | Physical task requirement | Fulfillment Center, Sort Center, Delivery Station, and Locker+, lift: up to 49 lbs in many warehouse roles, stand: full shift, and pace: repetitive movement and scan accuracy, overnight shifts, weekends, and peak season, and general: 18 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| McDonald's | Crew Member | Physical task requirement | Front Counter, Drive-Thru, Kitchen, and Primary Maintenance, lift: 25-50 lbs depending on role, stand: full shift, and pace: rush periods and drive-thru speed, weekends, breakfast shift, and late close, and general: varies by restaurant, role, and local law and manager: varies by restaurant and role and late close: varies by restaurant and local law | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| The Home Depot | Associate | Physical task requirement | Pro Desk, Appliances, Kitchen & Bath Design, and Paint, lift: 50 lbs, stand: 6-8 hours, and ladder: required for some departments, 5am stock, weekends, and late close, and general: 18 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| FedEx | Package Handler | Physical task requirement | Package Handler, Material Handler, Driver/Courier, and Facility Operations, lift: 50 lbs or more depending on role, stand: full shift, and pace: repetitive lifting and sorting, early morning sort, overnight sort, and weekends, and general: 18 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| Target | Team Member | Physical task requirement | Guest Advocate, General Merchandise, Fulfillment, and Style, lift: 25-50 lbs depending on role, stand: full shift, and pace: fulfillment and checkout rushes, weekends, closing shifts, and fulfillment rushes, and general: 16 and forklift: 18, management: 18, and distribution center: 18 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| Kroger | Associate | Physical task requirement | Front End, Grocery, Deli, and Bakery, lift: 25-50 lbs depending on department, stand: full shift, and food safety: relevant for fresh departments, weekends, early stocking, and evening close, and general: 16 and alcohol sales: 21, bakery or deli: 18, and management: 18 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| UPS | Warehouse Worker | Physical task requirement | Preload, Sort, Loading, and Unloading, lift: 70 lbs in some package roles, stand: full shift, and pace: repetitive package movement, preload early morning, twilight sort, and peak season, and general: 18 and driver: 21 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| CVS Health | Store Associate | Physical task requirement | Front Store, Pharmacy Technician, Shift Supervisor, and Operations Manager, lift: 25-50 lbs depending on role, stand: full shift, and accuracy: high for pharmacy-adjacent work, weekends, evening close, and pharmacy support hours, and general: 16 and pharmacy tech: state board requirements apply; CVS requires at least 16 if the state board does not set a minimum and management: 18 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| Costco Wholesale | Employee | Physical task requirement | Front End, Food Court, Membership, and Stocking, lift: 25-50 lbs depending on role, stand: full shift, and pace: high-volume warehouse retail, weekends, closing shifts, and seasonal periods, and general: 18 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| TJX Companies | Retail Associate | Physical task requirement | Sales Floor, Fitting Room, Front End, and Backroom, lift: 25-50 lbs depending on role, stand: full shift, and stocking: common, weekends, closing shifts, and seasonal periods, and confirm age and eligibility in the current posting | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| Lowe's | Associate | Physical task requirement | Customer Service, Pro Services, Cashier, and Receiver/Stocker, lift: 25-50 lbs depending on role, stand: full shift, and ladder: relevant for some departments, weekends, early stocking, and closing shifts, and general: 18 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| Marriott International | Guest Service Representative | Physical task requirement | Front Desk, Rooms & Guest Services, Housekeeping, and Food & Beverage, lift: 10-25 lbs depending on property role, stand: extended time, and professionalism: appearance and communication standards, weekends, evenings, and holidays, and general: verify active posting | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill | Crew Member | Physical task requirement | Line, Grill, Prep, and Cashier, lift: 25-50 lbs depending on role, stand: full shift, and food safety: required, lunch rush, dinner rush, and weekends, and general: 16 and leadership: 18 | Compare the posted duties with the actual standing, lifting, pace, tools, customer contact, and training expectations before ranking the role highly. |
Checklist
Job requirements checklist by stage
Requirement checks change as the application moves forward. Before applying, you need posting evidence. Before interviewing, you need a focused question. Before accepting, you need written confirmation of anything that changes the role. Before Day 1, you need practical instructions.
| Stage | Requirement check | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Before applying | Save the required duties, department, work area, age or credential wording, physical tasks, schedule coverage, platform, and date viewed. | Current posting, job ID, employer URL, role title, location, and copied requirement language. |
| Before an interview | Compare the requirement language with your availability, commute, examples, training questions, and any practical concern you need clarified. | Interview invite, question list, role-fit notes, schedule window, and one focused clarification question. |
| Before accepting | Confirm whether the offer changed the department, schedule, duties, first-week training, required items, or report-to contact. | Offer message, manager reply, first-week note, pay or schedule clarification, and unresolved requirement question. |
| Before Day 1 | Save what to bring, what to wear, who to report to, what setup is due, and what task or training block starts first. | Welcome message, portal task, document note, training schedule, local contact, and arrival instruction. |
Questions
Questions to ask when requirements are unclear
Requirement questions should be short and tied to a decision. The goal is not to ask the employer to restate the whole posting. The goal is to clarify the one requirement that changes whether you apply, interview, accept, or arrive prepared.
Ask which requirement matters most
"Which requirement should I pay closest attention to for this role: schedule coverage, department, physical tasks, or first-week setup?" This helps when the posting is broad.
Ask about the actual department
"Can you confirm which department or work area this opening is for?" Use this before preparing examples for a title that appears in several teams.
Ask about schedule coverage
"Are the posted hours the regular schedule, or are there required training, weekend, holiday, or peak-period hours I should plan around?" This keeps availability precise.
Ask about first-week expectations
"Before I start, is there any required item, setup task, training block, or arrival instruction I should save?" This connects requirements to Day 1.
Mistakes
Requirement mistakes that lead to weak applications
Requirement mistakes usually come from broad titles and missing evidence. Applicants either rule themselves out too early, apply without understanding the actual work, or prepare answers for a different department than the one hiring.
Treating preferred skills as required
Some postings mix must-have requirements with nice-to-have traits. Separate the hard requirement from the preference before ruling yourself out.
Ignoring the department behind the title
The same title can mean different duties across departments, properties, stores, stations, or teams. Save the work-area clue before writing answers.
Skipping practical requirements
A role can look like a skills match and still fail because of required coverage, commute timing, standing, lifting, tools, or first-week setup.
Relying on memory after the posting changes
Requirement wording can disappear when a posting expires. Save the exact text, date viewed, and source before comparing the role.
Evidence
Requirement evidence to keep with each application row
Save the posting URL, job ID, role title, location, department, required duties, schedule coverage, physical task wording, age or credential language, application task, training clue, first-week setup note, source date, and any employer reply that changed your decision. Those records help you compare the role without relying on memory after the posting changes.
Verify the posting
Use the posting checklist to confirm job ID, URL, location, department, pay, schedule, and role scope.
Compare role fit
Use the role fit planner when duties, pace, work area, or manager expectations decide whether the role fits.
Check availability
Use the availability planner when required days, start times, training hours, or coverage windows are the blocker.
Connect the first week
Use the training planner and documents checklist when requirements turn into Day 1 tasks.